In the treatment of the human or animal body with a medical treatment instrument, in many cases it is necessary to add a gaseous or, in particular, fluid treatment agent, which can be air, water or a mixture thereof (spray). In many cases, in particular in surgical and microsurgical treatment, a cooling fluid is required, in which case it is usual to use a salt solution (NaCl).
The treatment agent is fed to the treatment instrument through a flexible tube line, in particular a hose line. It has already been proposed to arrange the flexible tube line on or in the supply line. On account of it hollow construction, the flexible tube line is sensitive to severe bending, something which often cannot be precluded during the treatment. The life of such a flexible tube line can therefore be reckoned to be shorter than other lines, for example, electric cables. If a defective flexible tube line is exchanged, the supply line itself can therefore be used further.
In particular after surgical treatment, sterilization not only of the treatment instrument, but also of the supply line fixedly connected therewith is necessary, this occurring in many cases by means of steam pressure sterilization. The strength and life of the flexible tube line are impaired in particular as a result of this thermal stressing.
In particular when a mineral solution, such as for example a salt solution, is used as a cooling fluid, there is then the danger of crystallization and deposits in the flexible tube line which can diminish the latter's free cross section or even block it and thus can impair the cooling. This danger is greater the smaller the cross section of the flexible tube line. Removal of the flexible tube line from the supply line is not possible in the case of the known treatment devices without unjustifiable effort or expense.
It has also already been proposed to guide the flexible tube line in the end region of the supply line remote from the treatment instrument substantially radially out of this region and thus, by by-passing the plug-in connection for the supply line, be able to connect it to the available treatment agent source or pump respectively.